BILL NUMBER: AB 148 INTRODUCED
BILL TEXT
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Members Alarcon and Parra
JANUARY 17, 2007
An act to amend Sections 290.46 and 3003 of the Penal Code,
relating to sex offenders.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 148, as introduced, Alarcon. Sex offenders.
Existing law authorizes the use of any information relating to sex
offenders disclosed on the Internet Web site maintained by the
Department of Justice only to protect a person at risk and prohibits
the use of the information for purposes relating to health insurance,
insurance, loans, credit, employment, education, scholarships, or
fellowships, housing or accommodations, or benefits, privileges, or
services provided by any business establishment.
This bill would remove the prohibition against using the
information for purposes relating to housing or accommodation and
would authorize that a lessor of residential real property may refuse
to provide housing to, or evict, a sex offender whose residence
address is made available on the Web site. This bill would also
provide that a lessor may inform other residents of that residential
real property that a person whose residence address is made available
on the Internet Web site also resides in the residential real
property.
Existing law, as amended by Proposition 83 of the November 7,
2006, statewide general election, requires the Department of
Corrections and Rehabilitation to place a parolee in an appropriate
county upon the parolee's release from prison, as determined by
specified conditions.
This bill would add the condition that inmates who are released on
parole for violation of any sexual offense for which registration is
required pursuant to specified provisions be evenly placed
throughout the state, as specified.
Proposition 83 permits the Legislature, by majority vote of the
membership of each house, to amend the provisions of the act to
expand the scope of the application of the provisions of Proposition
83.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 290.46 of the Penal Code is amended to read:
290.46. (a) (1) On or before the dates specified in this section,
the Department of Justice shall make available information
concerning persons who are required to register pursuant to Section
290 to the public via an Internet Web site as specified in this
section. The department shall update the Internet Web site on an
ongoing basis. All information identifying the victim by name, birth
date, address, or relationship to the registrant shall be excluded
from the Internet Web site. The name or address of the person's
employer and the listed person's criminal history other than the
specific crimes for which the person is required to register shall
not be included on the Internet Web site. The Internet Web site shall
be translated into languages other than English as determined by the
department.
(2) (A) On or before July 1, 2010, the Department of Justice shall
make available to the public, via an Internet Web site as specified
in this section, as to any person described in subdivisions (b), (c),
or (d), the following information:
(i) The year of conviction of his or her most recent offense
requiring registration pursuant to Section 290.
(ii) The year he or she was released from incarceration for that
offense.
(iii) Whether he or she was subsequently incarcerated for any
other felony, if that fact is reported to the department. If the
department has no information about a subsequent incarceration for
any felony, that fact shall be noted on the Internet Web site.
However, no year of conviction shall be made available to the
public unless the department also is able to make available the
corresponding year of release of incarceration for that offense, and
the required notation regarding any subsequent felony.
(B) (i) Any state facility that releases from incarceration a
person who was incarcerated because of a crime for which he or she is
required to register as a sex offender pursuant to Section 290
shall, within 30 days of release, provide the year of release for his
or her most recent offense requiring registration to the Department
of Justice in a manner and format approved by the department.
(ii) Any state facility that releases a person who is required to
register pursuant to Section 290 from incarceration whose
incarceration was for a felony committed subsequently to the offense
for which he or she is required to register shall, within 30 days of
release, advise the Department of Justice of that fact.
(iii) Any state facility that, prior to January 1, 2007, released
from incarceration a person who was incarcerated because of a crime
for which he or she is required to register as a sex offender
pursuant to Section 290 shall provide the year of release for his or
her most recent offense requiring registration to the Department of
Justice in a manner and format approved by the department. The
information provided by the Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation shall be limited to information that is currently
maintained in an electronic format.
(iv) Any state facility that, prior to January 1, 2007, released a
person who is required to register pursuant to Section 290 from
incarceration whose incarceration was for a felony committed
subsequently to the offense for which he or she is required to
register shall advise the Department of Justice of that fact in a
manner and format approved by the department. The information
provided by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall be
limited to information that is currently maintained in an electronic
format.
(3) The Department of Mental Health shall provide to the
Department of Justice Sex Offender Tracking Program the names of all
persons committed to its custody pursuant to Article 4 (commencing
with Section 6600) of Chapter 2 of Part 2 of Division 6 of the
Welfare and Institutions Code, within 30 days of commitment, and
shall provide the names of all of those persons released from its
custody within five working days of release.
(b) (1) On or before July 1, 2005, with respect to a person who
has been convicted of the commission or the attempted commission of
any of the offenses listed in, or who is described in, paragraph (2),
the Department of Justice shall make available to the public via the
Internet Web site his or her name and known aliases, a photograph, a
physical description, including gender and race, date of birth,
criminal history, prior adjudication as a sexually violent predator,
the address at which the person resides, and any other information
that the Department of Justice deems relevant, but not the
information excluded pursuant to subdivision (a).
(2) This subdivision shall apply to the following offenses and
offenders:
(A) Section 207 committed with intent to violate Section 261, 286,
288, 288a, or 289.
(B) Section 209 committed with intent to violate Section 261, 286,
288, 288a, or 289.
(C) Paragraph (2) or (6) of subdivision (a) of Section 261.
(D) Section 264.1.
(E) Section 269.
(F) Subdivision (c) or (d) of Section 286.
(G) Subdivision (a), (b), or (c) of Section 288, provided that the
offense is a felony.
(H) Subdivision (c) or (d) of Section 288a.
(I) Section 288.3, provided that the offense is a felony.
(J) Section 288.5.
(K) Subdivision (a) or (j) of Section 289.
(L) Section 288.7.
(M) Any person who has ever been adjudicated a sexually violent
predator as defined in Section 6600 of the Welfare and Institutions
Code.
(c) (1) On or before July 1, 2005, with respect to a person who
has been convicted of the commission or the attempted commission of
any of the offenses listed in paragraph (2), the Department of
Justice shall make available to the public via the Internet Web site
his or her name and known aliases, a photograph, a physical
description, including gender and race, date of birth, criminal
history, the community of residence and ZIP Code in which the person
resides or the county in which the person is registered as a
transient, and any other information that the Department of Justice
deems relevant, but not the information excluded pursuant to
subdivision (a). On or before July 1, 2006, the Department of Justice
shall determine whether any person convicted of an offense listed in
paragraph (2) also has one or more prior or subsequent convictions
of an offense listed in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section
290, and, for those persons, the Department of Justice shall make
available to the public via the Internet Web site the address at
which the person resides. However, the address at which the person
resides shall not be disclosed until a determination is made that the
person is, by virtue of his or her additional prior or subsequent
conviction of an offense listed in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a)
of Section 290, subject to this subdivision.
(2) This subdivision shall apply to the following offenses:
(A) Section 220, except assault to commit mayhem.
(B) Paragraph (1), (3), or (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 261.
(C) Paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), or subdivision (f), (g), or
(i), of Section 286.
(D) Paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), or subdivision (f), (g), or
(i), of Section 288a.
(E) Subdivision (b), (d), (e), or (i) of Section 289.
(d) (1) On or before July 1, 2005, with respect to a person who
has been convicted of the commission or the attempted commission of
any of the offenses listed in, or who is described in, this
subdivision, the Department of Justice shall make available to the
public via the Internet Web site his or her name and known aliases, a
photograph, a physical description, including gender and race, date
of birth, criminal history, the community of residence and ZIP Code
in which the person resides or the county in which the person is
registered as a transient, and any other information that the
Department of Justice deems relevant, but not the information
excluded pursuant to subdivision (a) or the address at which the
person resides.
(2) This subdivision shall apply to the following offenses and
offenders:
(A) Subdivision (a) of Section 243.4, provided that the offense is
a felony.
(B) Section 266, provided that the offense is a felony.
(C) Section 266c, provided that the offense is a felony.
(D) Section 266j.
(E) Section 267.
(F) Subdivision (c) of Section 288, provided that the offense is a
misdemeanor.
(G) Section 288.3, provided that the offense is a misdemeanor.
(H) Section 626.81.
(I) Section 647.6.
(J) Section 653c.
(K) Any person required to register pursuant to Section 290 based
upon an out-of-state conviction, unless that person is excluded from
the Internet Web site pursuant to subdivision (e). However, if the
Department of Justice has determined that the out-of-state crime, if
committed or attempted in this state, would have been punishable in
this state as a crime described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2)
of subdivision (a) of Section 290, the person shall be placed on the
Internet Web site as provided in subdivision (b) or (c), as
applicable to the crime.
(e) (1) If a person has been convicted of the commission or the
attempted commission of any of the offenses listed in this
subdivision, and he or she has been convicted of no other offense
listed in subdivision (b), (c), or (d) other than those listed in
this subdivision, that person may file an application with the
Department of Justice, on a form approved by the department, for
exclusion from the Internet Web site. If the department determines
that the person meets the requirements of this subdivision, the
department shall grant the exclusion and no information concerning
the person shall be made available via the Internet Web site
described in this section. He or she bears the burden of proving the
facts that make him or her eligible for exclusion from the Internet
Web site. However, a person who has filed for or been granted an
exclusion from the Internet Web site is not relieved of his or her
duty to register as a sex offender pursuant to Section 290 nor from
any otherwise applicable provision of law.
(2) This subdivision shall apply to the following offenses:
(A) A felony violation of subdivision (a) of Section 243.4.
(B) Section 647.6, if the offense is a misdemeanor.
(C) (i) An offense for which the offender successfully completed
probation, provided that the offender submits to the department a
certified copy of a probation report, presentencing report, report
prepared pursuant to Section 288.1, or other official court document
that clearly demonstrates that the offender was the victim's parent,
stepparent, sibling, or grandparent and that the crime did not
involve either oral copulation or penetration of the vagina or rectum
of either the victim or the offender by the penis of the other or by
any foreign object.
(ii) An offense for which the offender is on probation at the time
of his or her application, provided that the offender submits to the
department a certified copy of a probation report, presentencing
report, report prepared pursuant to Section 288.1, or other official
court document that clearly demonstrates that the offender was the
victim's parent, stepparent, sibling, or grandparent and that the
crime did not involve either oral copulation or penetration of the
vagina or rectum of either the victim or the offender by the penis of
the other or by any foreign object.
(iii) If, subsequent to his or her application, the offender
commits a violation of probation resulting in his or her
incarceration in county jail or state prison, his or her exclusion,
or application for exclusion, from the Internet Web site shall be
terminated.
(iv) For the purposes of this subparagraph, "successfully
completed probation" means that during the period of probation the
offender neither received additional county jail or state prison time
for a violation of probation nor was convicted of another offense
resulting in a sentence to county jail or state prison.
(3) If the department determines that a person who was granted an
exclusion under a former version of this subdivision would not
qualify for an exclusion under the current version of this
subdivision, the department shall rescind the exclusion, make a
reasonable effort to provide notification to the person that the
exclusion has been rescinded, and, no sooner than 30 days after
notification is attempted, make information about the offender
available to the public on the Internet Web site as provided in this
section.
(4) Effective January 1, 2012, no person shall be excluded
pursuant to this subdivision unless the offender has submitted to the
department documentation sufficient for the department to determine
that he or she has a SARATSO risk level of low or moderate-low.
(f) The Department of Justice shall make a reasonable effort to
provide notification to persons who have been convicted of the
commission or attempted commission of an offense specified in
subdivision (b), (c), or (d), that on or before July 1, 2005, the
department is required to make information about specified sex
offenders available to the public via an Internet Web site as
specified in this section. The Department of Justice shall also make
a reasonable effort to provide notice that some offenders are
eligible to apply for exclusion from the Internet Web site.
(g) (1) A designated law enforcement entity, as defined in
subdivision (f) of Section 290.45, may make available information
concerning persons who are required to register pursuant to Section
290 to the public via an Internet Web site as specified in paragraph
(2).
(2) The law enforcement entity may make available by way of an
Internet Web site the information described in subdivision (c) if it
determines that the public disclosure of the information about a
specific offender by way of the entity's Internet Web site is
necessary to ensure the public safety based upon information
available to the entity concerning that specific offender.
(3) The information that may be provided pursuant to this
subdivision may include the information specified in subdivision (b)
of Section 290.45. However, that offender's address may not be
disclosed unless he or she is a person whose address is on the
Department of Justice's Internet Web site pursuant to subdivision (b)
or (c).
(h) For purposes of this section, "offense" includes the statutory
predecessors of that offense, or any offense committed in another
jurisdiction that, if committed or attempted to be committed in this
state, would have been punishable in this state as an offense listed
in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section
290.
(i) Notwithstanding Section 6254.5 of the Government Code,
disclosure of information pursuant to this section is not a waiver of
exemptions under Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Title
1 of Division 7 of the Government Code and does not affect other
statutory restrictions on disclosure in other situations.
(j) (1) Any person who uses information disclosed pursuant to this
section to commit a misdemeanor shall be subject to, in addition to
any other penalty or fine imposed, a fine of not less than ten
thousand dollars ($10,000) and not more than fifty thousand dollars
($50,000).
(2) Any person who uses information disclosed pursuant to this
section to commit a felony shall be punished, in addition and
consecutive to any other punishment, by a five-year term of
imprisonment in the state prison.
(k) Any person who is required to register pursuant to Section 290
who enters an Internet Web site established pursuant to this section
shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars
($1,000), imprisonment in a county jail for a period not to exceed
six months, or by both that fine and imprisonment.
() (1) A person is authorized to use information disclosed
pursuant to this section only to protect a person at risk.
(2) (A) Based upon the information disclosed pursuant to this
section, a lessor or an agent of a lessor of residential real
property may, but is not required to, refuse to provide housing to or
evict a sex offender whose residence address must be made available
to the public pursuant to this section. Based upon the information
disclosed pursuant to this section, a lessor or an agent of the
lessor of residential real property may, but is not required to,
inform other residents that a person whose residence address must be
made available to the public pursuant to this section also resides in
the residential real property.
(B) However, nothing in subparagraph (A) shall be construed to
diminish in any way any power or right that any person, including,
but not limited to, any service provider or lessor of residential
real property, may have, pursuant to paragraph (1), to use
information disclosed pursuant to this section to protect a person at
risk from an individual who is required to register as a sex
offender pursuant to Section 290, including those persons whose
residence address is not made available to the public pursuant to
this section.
(2)
(3) Except as authorized under paragraph (1) or
(2) or any other provision of law, use of any information that
is disclosed pursuant to this section for purposes relating to any of
the following is prohibited:
(A) Health insurance.
(B) Insurance.
(C) Loans.
(D) Credit.
(E) Employment.
(F) Education, scholarships, or fellowships.
(G) Housing or accommodations.
(H)
(G) Benefits, privileges, or services
provided by any business establishment.
(3)
(4) This section shall not affect authorized access to,
or use of, information pursuant to, among other provisions, Sections
11105 and 11105.3, Section 8808 of the Family Code, Sections 777.5
and 14409.2 of the Financial Code, Sections 1522.01 and 1596.871 of
the Health and Safety Code, and Section 432.7 of the Labor Code.
(4)
(5) (A) Any use of information disclosed pursuant to
this section for purposes other than those provided by paragraph (1)
or in violation of paragraph (2) shall make the user liable for the
actual damages, and any amount that may be determined by a jury or a
court sitting without a jury, not exceeding three times the amount of
actual damage, and not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250),
and attorney's fees, exemplary damages, or a civil penalty not
exceeding twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000).
(B) Whenever there is reasonable cause to believe that any person
or group of persons is engaged in a pattern or practice of misuse of
the information available via an Internet Web site established
pursuant to this section in violation of paragraph (2), the Attorney
General, any district attorney, or city attorney, or any person
aggrieved by the misuse is authorized to bring a civil action in the
appropriate court requesting preventive relief, including an
application for a permanent or temporary injunction, restraining
order, or other order against the person or group of persons
responsible for the pattern or practice of misuse. The foregoing
remedies shall be independent of any other remedies or procedures
that may be available to an aggrieved party under other provisions of
law, including Part 2 (commencing with Section 43) of Division 1 of
the Civil Code.
(m) The public notification provisions of this section are
applicable to every person described in this section, without regard
to when his or her crimes were committed or his or her duty to
register pursuant to Section 290 arose, and to every offense
described in this section, regardless of when it was committed.
(n) On or before July 1, 2006, and every year thereafter, the
Department of Justice shall make a report to the Legislature
concerning the operation of this section.
(o) A designated law enforcement entity and its employees shall be
immune from liability for good faith conduct under this section.
(p) The Attorney General, in collaboration with local law
enforcement and others knowledgeable about sex offenders, shall
develop strategies to assist members of the public in understanding
and using publicly available information about registered sex
offenders to further public safety. These strategies may include, but
are not limited to, a hotline for community inquiries, neighborhood
and business guidelines for how to respond to information posted on
this Web site, and any other resource that promotes public education
about these offenders.
SEC. 2. Section 3003 of the Penal Code is amended to read:
3003. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, an inmate
who is released on parole shall be returned to the county that was
the last legal residence of the inmate prior to his or her
incarceration. For purposes of this subdivision, "last legal
residence" shall not be construed to mean the county wherein the
inmate committed an offense while confined in a state prison or local
jail facility or while confined for treatment in a state hospital.
(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), an inmate may be returned to
another county if that would be in the best interests of the public.
If the Board of Prison Terms Parole Hearings
setting the conditions of parole for inmates sentenced pursuant
to subdivision (b) of Section 1168, as determined by the parole
consideration panel, or the Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation setting the conditions of parole for inmates
sentenced pursuant to Section 1170, decides on a return to another
county, it shall place its reasons in writing in the parolee's
permanent record and include these reasons in the notice to the
sheriff or chief of police pursuant to Section 3058.6. In making its
decision, the paroling authority shall consider, among others, the
following factors, giving the greatest weight to the protection of
the victim and the safety of the community:
(1) The need to protect the life or safety of a victim, the
parolee, a witness, or any other person.
(2) Public concern that would reduce the chance that the inmate's
parole would be successfully completed.
(3) The verified existence of a work offer, or an educational or
vocational training program.
(4) The existence of family in another county with whom the inmate
has maintained strong ties and whose support would increase the
chance that the inmate's parole would be successfully completed.
(5) The lack of necessary outpatient treatment programs for
parolees receiving treatment pursuant to Section 2960.
(c) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) and (b), the department shall
ensure that inmates who are released on parole for violation of any
offense for which registration is required pursuant to Section 290
are evenly placed throughout the state geographically based on
Assembly districts.
(c)
(d) The Department of Corrections
department , in determining an out-of-county commitment,
shall give priority to the safety of the community and any witnesses
and victims.
(d)
(e) In making its decision about an inmate who
participated in a joint venture program pursuant to Article 1.5
(commencing with Section 2717.1) of Chapter 5, the paroling authority
shall give serious consideration to releasing him or her to the
county where the joint venture program employer is located if that
employer states to the paroling authority that he or she intends to
employ the inmate upon release.
(e)
(f) (1) The following information, if available, shall
be released by the Department of Corrections
department to local law enforcement agencies regarding a
paroled inmate who is released in their jurisdictions:
(A) Last, first, and middle name.
(B) Birth date.
(C) Sex, race, height, weight, and hair and eye color.
(D) Date of parole and discharge.
(E) Registration status, if the inmate is required to register as
a result of a controlled substance, sex, or arson offense.
(F) California Criminal Information Number, FBI number, social
security number, and driver's license number.
(G) County of commitment.
(H) A description of scars, marks, and tattoos on the inmate.
(I) Offense or offenses for which the inmate was convicted that
resulted in parole in this instance.
(J) Address, including all of the following information:
(i) Street name and number. Post office box numbers are not
acceptable for purposes of this subparagraph.
(ii) City and ZIP Code.
(iii) Date that the address provided pursuant to this subparagraph
was proposed to be effective.
(K) Contact officer and unit, including all of the following
information:
(i) Name and telephone number of each contact officer.
(ii) Contact unit type of each contact officer such as units
responsible for parole, registration, or county probation.
(L) A digitized image of the photograph and at least a single
digit fingerprint of the parolee.
(M) A geographic coordinate for the parolee's residence location
for use with a Geographical Information System (GIS) or comparable
computer program.
(2) The information required by this subdivision shall come from
the statewide parolee database. The information obtained from each
source shall be based on the same timeframe.
(3) All of the information required by this subdivision shall be
provided utilizing a computer-to-computer transfer in a format usable
by a desktop computer system. The transfer of this information shall
be continually available to local law enforcement agencies upon
request.
(4) The unauthorized release or receipt of the information
described in this subdivision is a violation of Section 11143.
(f)
(g) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an
inmate who is released on parole shall not be returned to a location
within 35 miles of the actual residence of a victim of, or a witness
to, a violent felony as defined in paragraphs (1) to (7), inclusive,
of subdivision (c) of Section 667.5 or a felony in which the
defendant inflicts great bodily injury on any person other than an
accomplice that has been charged and proved as provided for in
Section 12022.53, 12022.7, or 12022.9, if the victim or witness has
requested additional distance in the placement of the inmate on
parole, and if the Board of Prison Terms
Parole Hearings or the Department of Corrections
department finds that there is a need to protect
the life, safety, or well-being of a victim or witness.
(g)
(h) Notwithstanding any other law, an inmate who is
released on parole for a violation of Section 288 or 288.5 whom the
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
department determines poses a high risk to the public shall not
be placed or reside, for the duration of his or her parole, within
one-half mile of any public or private school including any or all of
kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive.
Notwithstanding any other law, an inmate who is released on parole
for an offense involving stalking shall not be returned to a
location within 35 miles of the victim's actual residence or place of
employment if the victim or witness has requested additional
distance in the placement of the inmate on parole, and if the Board
of Prison Terms Parole Hearings or the
Department of Corrections department
finds that there is a need to protect the life, safety, or well-being
of the victim.
(h)
(i) The authority shall give consideration to the
equitable distribution of parolees and the proportion of
out-of-county commitments from a county compared to the number of
commitments from that county when making parole decisions.
(i)
(j) An inmate may be paroled to another state pursuant
to any other law.
(j)
(k) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the
Department of Corrections department
shall be the agency primarily responsible for, and shall have control
over, the program, resources, and staff implementing the Law
Enforcement Automated Data System (LEADS) in conformance with
subdivision (e).
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the Department of Justice shall
be the agency primarily responsible for the proper release of
information under LEADS that relates to fingerprint cards.
SEC. 3. The Legislature finds and declares that this act expands
the scope of Proposition 83 of the November 7, 2006, statewide
general election (Jessica's Law) within the meaning of Section 33 of
that measure.